Issue #4 (Volume 14 2016)

There are currently many investment and financial products that can be used for capitalizing of savings. Although investments in various commodities, shares, securities, or funds can be with high yields, it requires some knowledge and experience. Unattempted investor may experience unpleasant surprise of possible losses of greater amount of money, as such investments are generally associated with a higher risk. For these reasons, the majority of the population remains in the Slovak Republic faithful to traditional forms of capitalizing of funds. One of these forms are savings accounts in banks. The main purpose of this paper is to find possibly the best savings account in the Slovak Republic. In cooperation with experts from the field of banking, the authors have defined the selection criteria of savings accounts, assessed their importance and, then, they have arranged savings accounts offered in the Slovak Republic according to achieved score. For this purpose, methods of multicriteria decision making were used. These methods are based on the evaluation of several alternative solutions based on multiple criteria. These criteria must be assigned by weights which represent their importance in decision making process. These weights were calculated using the Saaty’s method, which is a method based on mutual comparison of all the criteria. For final ranking of term deposits, taking into account the weights of the criteria, the method TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) was used.

Keywords: savings, banking products, savings accounts, multicriteria decision making.
JEL Classification: E21, G21

This paper takes a closer look at sustainable management compensation and the impacton environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance in the German two tier system. The empirical quantitative study covers a sample selection of German companies listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (DAX30, TecDAX, MDAX, SDAX) for the business years 2010-2014 (677 firm-year observations). In order to determine a possible link between nonfinancial indicators of management compensation and ESG performance, a correlation and regression analysis is carried out. On the basis of multiple regressions, non-financial elements (social or environmental aspects) in the management board compensation positively influence ESG performance, as determined by the Asset Four database of Thomson Reuters. This analysis is the first empirical study focusing on a connection between sustainable management board compensation, taking into consideration non-financial aspects, and ESG performance in the German two tier system. Not only users, but also public policy are affected by the findings indicating that national and European regulations on compensation could greatly influence future CSR performance and market reactions.

Keywords: ESG performance, stakeholder management, sustainable compensation, corporate governance, management board, non-financial performance indicators.
JEL Classification: M40

The advent of democracy in 1994 presented the South African government with twin challenges, of significance was institutional transformation while simultaneously introducing new policies in line with the democratic Constitution. In effecting the Constitution, new policies and programs were put in place that would attempt to improve the lives of all citizens. The Taxi Recapitalization Program was amongst challenges facing South African government. The taxi industry plays a crucial role in the economy and contributes 65% of public commuters taking into consideration that the majority of South Africans are poor and dependent on public transport. Thus, access to public transport is seen as a basic right of all citizens, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (108 of 1996, p. 1251). The right of access to public transport has to be complemented with availability, affordability, appropriateness and timelines of a service within a safe and comfortable environment to the satisfaction of those who use public transportation. This paper is based on literature review. Content analysis method was used. The objective of the paper was (i) to investigate factors affecting the implementation of government’s TRP by the Department of Transport, (ii) investigate the pillars informing the implementation of the TRP, (iii) establish the role of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) in the implementation of the Taxi Recapitalization Project.

Keywords: TRP, SANTACO, SA, DT, taxi associations and policy.
JEL Classification: R41, R42

The study intends to examine the understanding and awareness of environmental dynamics and their implications of rural SMEs in the southern region of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province. The study was conducted within the rural areas of the Southern region of KZN province, using quantitative research methods. The sample for the study consisted of 150 owners/managers of SMEs. The respondents were selected using quota sampling and required to complete a research questionnaire, with an interviewer present to assist. The research instrument consisted of closed-ended questionnaires made up of 5 point Likert scale responses and questionnaires were distributed to five selected areas in rural Southern region of KZN province. The research findings indicate the size of local market is very small to sell their products; poor infrastructure has an impact on their business growth, lack of financial support, as well as tough government regulations, just to mention the few. This study provides both theoretical and practical implications for rural entrepreneurs and policy-makers. The study presents a number of recommendations, including a conceptual growth model for rural SMEs.

Keywords: enveronmental dynamics, rural areas, business growth, SMEs.
JEL Classification: Q56, R11, O44

The South African public sector is faced with many challenges and one of the major challenges is service delivery. This is linked with skills shortage resulting in public service having too many people to train in a short period of time. Training these many employees face-to-face has its challenges, as employees have to be away from their day-to-day duties to attend training and this not only has an impact on productivity, but also maximizes costs. To deal with and to minimize these challenges, the South African government has chosen to introduce e-Learning in public sector. This is aimed at ensuring that larger numbers of government officials are trained at minimum costs and ensuring that training reaches people with different responsibilities such as top management and people with families who cannot afford to be away from home or office for training for long periods of time. This study examined the advantages and disadvantages of the introduction of e-Learning in the public sector, the importance of strategic planning for e-Learning, the challenges faced by the public sector when it comes to training, how other organizations internationally have conceptualized e-Learning and what the public sector is hoping to achieve by introducing e-Learning. The gaps in the conceptualization of e-Learning in the South African public sector were identified and possible solutions including a paradigm shift from a reductionist way of thinking to a systems way of thinking and doing things was recommended.

Keywords: e-Learning, public sector, benchmarking, conceptualization.
JEL Classification: H83, A2, G21

In today’s challenging and complex world, organizations success depends on productivity, continuous improvement in all dimensions and reforming the pattern of resource utilization. Therefore, organizations, while considering restrictions, should focus on the most effective factors or so-called critical success factors. This paper intends to identify and prioritize the critical success factors, among other, factors influencing success of the organization, using hierarchical analysis and application of tools and related software. Analytic Hierarchy Process provides the possibility to compare the factors via creating matrix of paired comparisons. The case study in this research includes identifying the critical success factors and prioritizing them in Iran Argham Company. Finally, among the results presented, five critical success factors are identified from the forty influential factors. These five factors account for about seventy percent of the organization’s success. It should be noted that most studies conducted in this area focuse on the certain processes and special systems rather than study on the organization as a whole unit. This model can also be generalized to all organizations, including SMEs, and would provide remarkably valuable approaches, especially in competitive markets.

Keywords: key success factors, strategic management, critical success factors, AHP.
JEL Classification: M10, M14, L21, C44

The study investigated the perceived barriers to the development of small, medium and microenterprises (SMMEs) operating in the South African small business sector. A quantitative orientation was used in carrying out the study through self-administered questionnaires and a descriptive quantitative method of analysis was applied. The research population consisted of entrepreneurs within the Thulamela Municipality in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. A purposive sample of seventy-five SMME owners and managers participated in this study (males = 73%, n = 55; females = 27%, n = 20 and, age range 18-55 years). The study seeks to add on the narrow body of literature concerning barriers faced by small, medium and microenterprises within the small business sector by revealing how SMMEs in South Africa are stalled from developing into successful enterprises as a result of some major barriers affecting the small business sector. The study revealed that, indeed, SMMEs in Thulamela Municipality in the Limpopo Province of South Africa are faced with various barriers affecting their development. Five significant barriers were identified, namely, lack of finance, access to market, out-dated equipment and technology, poor infrastructure and lack of training. The study recommends on the action plan that is required for SMMEs to increase their efficiency and sustaining themselves against possible barriers thereby helping entrepreneurs to exploit the full potential of the SMME sector.

Keywords: barriers, development, SMMEs, entrepreneurs, Thulamela municipality, South Africa.
JEL Classification: L26, P2

The recurrent struggle of seeking employment and the saturated labor market is a harsh reality in the lives of many university students. Entrepreneurship is arguably the most effective contributor to employment and economic growth. However, very few entrepreneurship graduates start businesses immediately after graduation. Moreover, while academic institutions invest in developing entrepreneurship curriculum and extending the body of knowledge, little is invested in practical programs. There is, therefore, a need to practically teach entrepreneurship. This research was aimed at establishing the impact of practical entrepreneurship project on future entrepreneurial intentions of students. The research was quantitative in nature and a questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The research found that the practical entrepreneurship project had a positive impact on the future entrepreneurial intentions of the students. The sample for the survey reported in this article included 25 participants across various career fields.

Keywords: entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial intentions, experiential learning, practical entrepreneurship project, student business initiative challenge.
JEL Classification: L26

Much has been said about the advantages of using social media in the marketing of brands and products of companies. Marketing, as we knew it in the past millennia, has changed dramatically and is evolving at a faster pace than ever. Traditional media, such as print and broadcast, are becoming more obsolete and largely replaced by social media platforms. These platforms are growing and expanding in leaps and bounds and have become potent instruments of marketing. It is up to organizations to use these platforms to market their brands, services and business, as it can have a profound effect on the success and growth. This is even truer in the case of entrepreneurs who are generally younger and more technology savvy and who use social media for all means and purposes. The purpose of this research study was, therefore, to investigate the use of social media among institutions that focus on specific events such as a business plan competition and to establish to what extent the use of these social media tools were used or effectively used to communicate the event to SMEs. A web-based self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the respondents of a business plan competition. A total of 992 useable responses were received. The findings mainly revealed that institutions that use social media in their marketing drive either do not plan properly for the use of it, or is careless in their approach to these tools. The results pointed to a large number of respondents (55%) who were not even aware that social media tools were used in the promotion of the competition.

Keywords: social media, SME, special event marketing, marketing, usage, promotional mix elements, South Africa.
JEL Classification: M13

This study characterizes the results of social-scientific, behavioral science, and managerial/accounting research on current management and accounting matters in the hotel industry published in the most prestigious scientific hospitality journals and identifies avenues for future research. Based on an analysis of a set of 55 articles published in the journals that make up the SCImago Journal and Coutry Rank, published between 2005 and 2015, it is concluded that there is a lack of research in the financial accounting group; additional research is required for the small hotel category, and it is the important to use comparative studies that are better able to capture the characteristics of the hospitality industry. Additionally, most of the empirical studies analyzed come from European countries and statistical methods are extensively used in all topic areas. Finally, some gaps are identified in the literature and indicated future research priorities.

Keywords: hospitality industry, accounting, management, research methods.
JEL Classification: L28, M41

The article gives approaches to the definition ‘financial safety of the enterprise’. It also states the classification of the types of the financial safety of the enterprise. The author of the article defines the principle vision of the notion ‘logistics.’ It gives the description of the financial logistic system. The author offers personal model of the mechanism to manage the provision of financial safety of the logistic formations. There have also been given the suggestions how to make the mechanism of the provision of the financial safety of the logistic formations work better.

Keywords: financial safety, financial safety of logistic formations, logistics, finance logistic system, mechanism, model, definitions, approach.
JEL Classіfіcatіon: F36, G30

The article presents the results of theoretical review and summarizing of materials regarding the interpretation of the nature and role of human capital. It is the main strategic resource capable of solving complex problems for the country’s transition to “green economy”. Human capital is considered as a totality of certain personal, social, professional and business skills, as well as an important investment resource, the use of which contributes to the efficiency of production. Considerable attention is devoted to the methodological aspects of the human capital’s study. Despite the importance of the problem of productive use of human capital, the relationship of quality, motivation of personnel and efficiency of its use has not been sufficiently studied, which led to the need of a more detailed study of this issue with the use of sampling, monographic studies and statistical methods for the research of stochastic relations. The study included the following stages: analysis and assessment of the level of development of the human capital of Kazakhstan compared to the developed countries, identification of factors that influence the use of this capital and calculation of strength of their relationship; formation of proposals regarding the accumulation, effective use and further development of human capital in the agricultural sector of the economy.

Keywords: agriculture, human capital, efficiency, Kazakhstan.
JEL Classification: E24, J24, M53, O15, Q13

SMMEs provide an indispensable framework for addressing unemployment, poverty and boosting the economy of a country. This report was impelled by the need to create and sustain enterprises within the hotels and restaurant sub-sector of the tourism industry in Libreville, Gabon. A quantitative methodology was embraced to disperse seventy self-administered questionnaires to owners and managers of hotels and restaurants. The results demonstrate that the key components which lead to the failure or non-sustainability of businesses include: limited access to start-up finance required to cover start-up and growth cost, the low return on investment, as well as the mismanagement of businesses. Given that job creation remains a dependable method for diminishing unemployment and poverty, establishing and sustaining businesses in Libreville would be a step in the right direction in Gabon.

Keywords: venture creation, enterprise development, entrepreneurship challenges, Libreville.
JEL Classification: M13, L26, L83

In view of the increasingly competitive business world, prudent spending and cost recovery have become the driving force for the optimal performance of large public organizations. This study, therefore, examined the cost-effectiveness of a Large Energy Utility (LEU) in a Southern African country by exploring the relationship between extraction of transactional customer data (that is, data on the servicing and repairing energy faults) and the Utility’s recurrent expenditure (especially its technicians’ overtime bill). Using data mining, a large corpus of the LEU Area Centre (AC) data was extracted to establish the relationship between transactional customer data extraction including capture and the financial cost of the LEU (e.g., recurrent expenditure on overtime bill). Results indicate that incorrect extraction and capturing of transactional customer service data has contributed significantly to the LEU’s escalating overtime wage bill. The data also demonstrate that the correct extraction and capturing of transactional customer service data can positively reduce the financial costs of this LEU. The paper demonstrates one of the few attempts to examine the effects of correct data extraction and capture on the financial resources of struggling large public energy utility. Using Resource Based Theory, the study also demonstrates how technicians’ feedback on incorrect transactions enhances the measurement of inaccurate transactional data albeit a burgeoning overtime wage bill incentives.

Keywords: Large Energy Utility, inaccurate transactional data extraction, financial costs, Resource Based View.
JEL Classification: L94, L97, C8